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Annual Register For the Year 1772.

tion, but the young ones are very noisy and unruly. I once saw this performed, and observed that goslins of six weeks week old were not spared; for their tails were plucked, as I was told, to habituate them early to what they were to come to. If the season proves cold, numbers of geese die by this barbarous custom.

Vast numbers are driven annually to London, to supply the markets; among them, all the super-annuated geese and ganders (called here the cagmags) which serve to fatigue the jaws of the good citizens, who are so unfortunate as to meet with them.

The fen, called the west fen, is the place where the ruffs and reeves resort to in the greatest numbers; and many other sorts of water fowl, which do not require shelter or reeds or rushes, migrate here to breed; for this fen is very bare, having been imperfectly drained by narrow canals, which intersect it for great numbers of miles. These the inhabitants navigate in most diminutive shallow boats; they are, in fact, the roads of the country.

The east fen is quite in a state of nature, and gives a specimen of the country before the introduction of drainage; it is a vast tract of morafs, intermixed with numbers of lakes, from half a mile to two or three miles in circuit, communicating with each other by narrow reedy straits; they are shallow, none are above four or five feet in depth; but abound with fish, such as pike, pearch, ruff, bream, tench, rud, dace, roach, burbolt, sticklebacks and eels. The fen is covered with reeds, the harvest of the neighbouring inhabitants, who mow them annually; for they prove a much better thatch than straw, and not only cottages, but many very good houses are covered with them. Stares, which during winter resort in myriads to roost in the reeds, are very destructive, by breaking them down by the vast numbers that perch on them. The people are therefore very diligent in their attempts to drive them away, and are at great expence in powder to free themselves from these troublesome guests. I have see a flock of reeds harvested and stacked worth two or three hundred pounds, which was the property of a single farmer.

The birds which inhabit the different fens are very numerous; I never met with a finer field for the zoologistto range in. Besides the common wild-duck, wild geese, garganies, porchards, shovelers and teals, breed here. I have seen on the east fen a small flock of the tufted ducks; but they seemed to make it only a baiting place. The pewit gulls and black terns abound; the last in vast flocks almost deafen one with their clamors: a few of the great terns, or tickets, are seen among them. I saw several of the great crested grebes on the east fen, called there, gaunts, and met with one of their floating nests with eggs in it. The lesser crested grebe, the black and ducky grebe, and the little grebe, are also inhabitants of the fens; together with coots, water-hens, water-rails, ruffs, redshanks, lap-wings, or wipes, red-breasted godwits, and whimbrels. The godwits breed near Washenbrough; the whimbrels only appear for about a fortnight in May near Spalding, and then quit the country. Opposite to Foffdyke-Wash, during summer, are great numbers of avofettas, caled there yelpers, from their cry: they hover over the sportman's head like the lap-wing, and fly with their necks extended.

Knots are taken in nets along the shore near Foffdyke in great numbers during winter; but they disappear in the spring.

The short0earned owl, Br. Zool. I. 156. visits the neighborhood of Washenbrough, along with the woodcocks, and probably performs its migration with those birds, for it is observed to quit the country at the fame time; I have also received specimens of them from the Danish dominions, one of the retreats of the woodcock. This owl is not observed in this country to perch on threes, but conceals itself in long old grass; if disturbed, takes a short flight, lights again and keeps staing about, during which time its horns are very sensible. The farmers fond of the arrival of these birds, as they clear the fields of mice, and will even fly in search of prey during day, provided the weather is cloudy and misty.

Buy the greatest curiosity in these parts, is the wast heronry at CressiHall, fix miles from Spalding. The herons resort there is February to repair their nests,  to crowded together, that myself and the company that was with me counted not fewer than eighty in  one tree. I here had opportunity of detecting my own mistake, and that of other ornithologists, in making two species of herons; for I found that the crested heron was only the male of the other : it made a most beautiful appearance with its snowy neck and long crest streaming with the wind. The family who owned this place was of the flame name with these birds, which seems to be the principal introdument for preserving them. 

In the time of Michael Drayton, 
Here stalk'd the stately crane, as though he march'd in war.

But at present this bird is quite unknown in our island; but every other species enumerated by that observant port still are around in this senny tract of its neighborhood.

Spalding, in form, neatness, and situation resembles very much a Dutch town: the river Welland passes through one of the streets, a canal is cut though another, and trees are plated on each side. The church is a handsome structure, the steeple a spire. The churches in general throughout this low tract, are very handsome; all are built of stone, which must have been brought from places very remote along temporary canals; for,in many instances, the quarries lie at leaft twenty miles distant. But there edisices were built in zealous ages, when the benedictions or maledictions of the church made the people conquer every difficulty that might obstruct these pious foundations. The Abbey of Crowland, feated in the midst of the shaking ten, is a curious monument of the insuperable zeal of the times it was erected in; as the beautiful tower of Boston church, visible from all part, is a magnificent specimen of a fine gothic taste. 

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